Dexter Marathon!

I am hooked on Showtime's Dexter, and it is strange to root for a mass murderer! I have watched Season 1 and Season 2 in what amounts to a Dexter marathon over the last two weeks. I will have to wait for Season 3 to come out, but will be watching for it both at the library and it's in my Netflix queue.

Based on the books by Jeff Lindsay, this is one of the more popular Showtime series. We learn through flashbacks (that are a little cheesy at times) Dexter is a survivor of a horrific childhood experience that leaves him with a dark need to kill in order to feel alive. As an adult he is without emotion and lacks the emotional need to connect with other people. He is raised by a cop foster father who teaches him to kill by a code - only those who have killed and escaped the reaches of law enforcement - and how not to get caught. Dexter becomes a blood splatter forensic expert with the Miami police where his foster sister is a homicide detective. Dexter avoids law enforcement, he makes some mistakes, has personal angst, and by the end of Season 2, whether he realizes it or not, the viewer realizes that he is a more human character than in the beginning. He cares about his sister and his girlfriend and her children - all of whom just started out as cover. Dexter may be a hero of sorts for those that view him as a vigilante, but as he becomes more human and the viewer becomes more involved, he becomes a hero for many more reasons.

The series is graphically realistic without too much gratuitous gore. It is suspenseful due to the storyline curves that are thrown at the viewer. There are no overdone cliffhangers at the end of the season. The characters surrounding Dexter in homicide are great - I especially like Angel the homicide cop, Vince the oriental forensics guy with a awful sense of humor, and Lt. LaGuerta who starts out season 1 with unrequited hots for Dexter but morphs into a much better and interesting character as the series goes on (you will recognize her if you are a fan of OZ). Dexter is played by Michael C. Hall, from the series Six Feet Under, and he plays this part as well as he did his character in that series.

I am happy I am not the only one! I was very happy about the character that was eliminated in the second season, actually both of the characters that were eliminated...one was irritating as heck and the other was just exactly as Debra described her. Plus - I got to tease my brother-in-law because he has the same first and last names as the brother in season one.

I have not read them, but may have to now. I am afraid that I will be disappointed in either the book or the series though by comparison.

PotionsMaster@evpl
wrote

on Tuesday, March 3 2009, 8:30am

I have read 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter' and am trying to get my hands on 'Dearly Devoted Dexter'. (And yes, I absolutely LOVE the series) If you watched the first season before reading the book (like me), you'll be surprised at the differences. While they are few, they are quite apparent, and for the sake of keeping the show going, I can understand why they changed a major character's death in the first season.

Then again, I applaud the TV show even more than now for keeping the level of detail that's in the book loyal on what they do keep.

As for if you will be disappointed by one or the other, I can't say, but I enjoyed both thoroughly. Sounds like I will have to get in line to for the third season!

I'm about to go check out the first Dexter book, but reading about it made me think of another series starring a person so damaged in childhood as to be a sociopath, but one who operates (mostly legally) within the police force, to keep others safe. Mallory (Kathy is her first name, but you'd better not call her that) was created by Carol O'Connell. One reader's blog talks about the series, and why it is so good in an essay called “Watching Mallory Grow a Soul.” (www.dancingbadger.com/carol_oconnell.htm) And now I’d better got get that Dexter book…

Meditatinglibrarian@evpl
wrote

on Wednesday, March 4 2009, 9:05am

I've listened to them all on audiobook. Through earphones or when alone in the car - wouldn't want others to overhear some of what goes on. But I REALLY like them. Haven't watched the Showtime series.